Social Security application confusion - selecting start month when turning 65 in June

It depends on what you want. Social Security benefits are paid for the previous month, so if you select June as your start month, you'd receive that payment in July. If you select July, you'd get that payment in August. Just be aware that if you're not at your Full Retirement Age (FRA) yet, starting at 65 means you're taking benefits early with a permanent reduction. Most people born after 1960 have an FRA of 67, not 65.

my mom just did this last yr and she put the month AFTER her bday cause thats what the lady at ssa told her when she called

The confusion is understandable. Here's the technical explanation: Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they are due. Your first benefit would be for the first full month you're eligible. If your birthday is on the 28th of June, you would not be eligible for a benefit for June because you weren't 65 for the entire month. So in your case, July would typically be the first month you'd be eligible for benefits, which would be paid in August. However, be aware that 65 is not Full Retirement Age (FRA) for Social Security retirement benefits anymore. Depending on your birth year, your FRA is likely between 66 and 67. Taking benefits at 65 means you're taking them early, which results in a permanent reduction. Also, if you're still working, the earnings test may apply until you reach FRA, potentially reducing your benefits if you earn above certain thresholds.

If you were born in 1960 or later, taking benefits at 65 means you're taking them 24 months before your FRA of 67. This results in approximately a 13.3% permanent reduction in your monthly benefit amount. For example, if your benefit at FRA would be $2,000, taking it at 65 would reduce it to about $1,734 per month for life. Also important: Medicare eligibility still starts at 65, but that's separate from your Social Security retirement benefits. You can enroll in Medicare at 65 even if you delay your Social Security benefits until later.

I just went thru this EXACT same situation!!! It was SO FRUSTRATING trying to figure out and no one at SSA would answer the phone!!!! I ended up putting July (month after my birthday) because my bday was on the 15th. But I had to call them like 50 times before I got someone to confirm this was right. The whole system is BROKEN!!!!!

wait a sec, turning 65 has nothing to do with ss retirement! that's just for medicare. your ss full retirement age depends on when u were born. my sister took hers at 62 and got way less than waiting would have given her.

My husband did his online application last year and got so confused he just gave up and went to the local office. waited 2 hours but at least got it right the first time!

I went through this same process recently and here's what I learned the hard way: if your birthday is June 28th, you should select July as your start month because Social Security requires you to be 65 for the entire month to receive benefits for that month. Since you won't be 65 until the 28th of June, you're not eligible for June benefits. However, I'd strongly recommend reconsidering taking benefits at 65 at all. Like others mentioned, if you were born in 1960 or later, your Full Retirement Age is 67, not 65. Taking benefits 2 years early results in about a 13% permanent reduction. That's a significant amount of money you'll lose every month for the rest of your life. One option is to apply for Medicare only when you turn 65 (which you should definitely do) and delay Social Security until your FRA or even later. For every year you delay past FRA until age 70, you get about 8% more in benefits. The SSA website has a retirement estimator tool that can show you exactly how much you'd get at different ages - it's worth checking before you make this decision!

As someone who just went through this process myself, I can confirm what others have said - you'll want to select July as your start month since you need to be 65 for the entire month to be eligible for benefits that month. But honestly, after reading through all these responses, I think the bigger question you should be asking is whether you should be taking Social Security at 65 at all. I initially planned to do the same thing, but after learning about the permanent reduction (around 13% less for life if your FRA is 67), I decided to wait. Here's what I wish someone had told me earlier: you can still sign up for Medicare at 65 (which you absolutely should do to avoid penalties) while keeping your Social Security benefits on hold until your FRA or even later. They're completely separate programs. I ended up using the SSA's retirement estimator online to see the actual dollar differences between taking benefits at 65 vs 67 vs 70, and it was eye-opening. The difference was hundreds of dollars per month over my lifetime. If you're still working and can afford to wait, it might be worth running those numbers before you submit your application. Just my two cents from someone who almost made the same decision!

I work at a local SSA field office and see this confusion all the time! Since your birthday is June 28th, you'll want to select July as your start month. The rule is that you must be the eligible age for the entire month to receive benefits for that month. However, I really want to emphasize what others have said about the early retirement reduction. At 65, you're taking benefits 24 months before your Full Retirement Age of 67 (assuming you were born in 1960 or later). This means a permanent reduction of about 13.3% - that's roughly $267 less per month if your full benefit would be $2,000. Here's something that might help: you can actually withdraw your Social Security application within 12 months of filing if you change your mind, but you'd have to pay back any benefits received. Many people don't know this option exists. Also, don't forget to enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (3 months before your 65th birthday through 3 months after) even if you decide to delay Social Security. Missing this window can result in permanent late enrollment penalties. The SSA.gov retirement estimator is definitely worth checking - it will show you the exact dollar impact of your decision based on your actual earnings record.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! My 65th birthday is in August and I've been going back and forth on this decision. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea that 65 wasn't actually the full retirement age anymore. Like you, I was planning to just take Social Security when I turned 65 because that's what my parents did, but now I'm realizing the landscape has completely changed. The 13% permanent reduction really adds up over time when you think about it. I'm probably going to follow the advice here about signing up for Medicare at 65 but holding off on Social Security until at least my FRA. It's frustrating that this information isn't more clearly communicated when you're approaching retirement age - I feel like so many people probably make this mistake without realizing the long-term impact. Thanks for posting this question - your confusion has helped clarify things for a lot of us in similar situations!

I just want to echo what others have said about really thinking through the timing on this. I made the mistake of taking Social Security early at 62 because I thought it was "free money" and didn't fully understand the permanent reduction. Looking back, I wish I had waited - the monthly difference really adds up over time. For your specific question about the start month, definitely go with July since you need to be 65 for the entire month. But more importantly, consider whether you actually need to take benefits at 65 at all. If you can afford to wait until your FRA of 67, you'll get significantly more money every month for the rest of your life. One thing that helped me understand the impact was calculating the break-even point. Even though you get less per month by taking benefits early, you get them for more months. But for most people, if you live past your late 70s/early 80s, waiting pays off financially. The SSA retirement estimator tool is really helpful for seeing these numbers based on your actual earnings record. Worth spending some time with it before you make this decision!

I went through this exact same confusion when I applied for Social Security last year! The good news is that you're asking the right questions before submitting your application. For your specific situation with a June 28th birthday, you'll want to select July as your start month. The rule is that you must be 65 for the entire month to be eligible for benefits that month, so since you don't turn 65 until the 28th, June wouldn't qualify. But honestly, after reading through all these responses, I think the more important question is whether you should be taking Social Security at 65 at all. I initially had the same plan, but when I learned that my Full Retirement Age was actually 67 (not 65), and that taking benefits early would mean a permanent 13% reduction, I decided to hold off. Here's what really helped me: I used the Social Security retirement estimator on SSA.gov to see the actual dollar differences. For me, waiting from 65 to 67 meant an extra $280 per month for life - that's over $3,300 more per year! The key insight I wish I'd known earlier is that Medicare and Social Security are completely separate. You can (and should) enroll in Medicare at 65 to avoid penalties, but you can delay Social Security until your FRA or even age 70 for maximum benefits. Take some time to run your numbers through that estimator tool - it might change your whole retirement strategy like it did mine!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm turning 65 in a few months and was planning to start Social Security benefits right away, but now I'm realizing I need to completely rethink my approach. The key takeaways I'm getting are: 1) For the start month question, select the month AFTER your birthday since you need to be 65 for the entire month, 2) Consider that 65 is no longer the full retirement age - it's now 67 for most of us, meaning a 13% permanent reduction if we start at 65, and 3) Medicare and Social Security are separate - you can enroll in Medicare at 65 while delaying Social Security. I had no idea about that SSA retirement estimator tool everyone keeps mentioning - definitely going to check that out before making any decisions. It sounds like taking time to run the actual numbers could make a huge difference in monthly income for the rest of our lives. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those who work in the field or went through this process recently. This is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's hard to find elsewhere!

I'm a Social Security claims specialist and I see this exact confusion every day! For your June 28th birthday, you absolutely need to select July as your start month. The rule is simple: you must be eligible age for the ENTIRE month to receive benefits for that month. But here's what's really important - please reconsider taking benefits at 65 at all. Since you were likely born in 1960 or later, your Full Retirement Age is 67, not 65. Taking benefits at 65 means accepting a permanent 13.33% reduction for your entire lifetime. On a $2000 monthly benefit, that's $267 less EVERY month forever. Here's what I always tell clients: Medicare and Social Security are completely separate programs. You SHOULD enroll in Medicare at 65 (during your Initial Enrollment Period from March-September) to avoid late penalties, but you can delay Social Security until 67 or even 70 for maximum benefits. Before you submit that application, please use the retirement estimator at ssa.gov - it will show you exactly how much you'll lose by taking benefits early. Many people are shocked when they see the actual dollar impact. You might find that waiting just 2 more years could mean thousands more per year for the rest of your life. Also, pro tip: if you do apply and change your mind within 12 months, you can withdraw your application (but you'd have to repay any benefits received). Better to get it right from the start though!

I'm also approaching 65 and had the same confusion about when to start benefits! This thread has been incredibly eye-opening. Like many others here, I was under the impression that 65 was still the standard retirement age, but clearly that's outdated information. From what I'm gathering from all the knowledgeable responses (especially from the SSA professionals), the key points are: 1. For your June 28th birthday, select July as your start month since you need to be 65 for the entire month 2. Consider that your Full Retirement Age is likely 67, not 65, meaning you'd face a permanent 13% reduction by starting early 3. Medicare enrollment at 65 is separate from Social Security - you can do one without the other I'm definitely going to check out that SSA retirement estimator tool everyone keeps mentioning before making my own decision. The idea of potentially losing hundreds of dollars per month for life by not understanding these rules is pretty sobering. Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise and experiences - this is the kind of practical advice that's hard to find anywhere else!

I'm a retired financial planner and I see this confusion all the time! You've gotten excellent advice here already, but let me add a few practical points: For your immediate question: Yes, select July as your start month since you need to be 65 for the entire month to be eligible. But here's what I always told my clients - before you submit that application, sit down and really think about whether you NEED those Social Security payments right now. If you're still working or have other income sources, those extra 2 years until your FRA of 67 could mean an additional $200-400+ per month for the rest of your life. I've seen too many people rush into taking Social Security at 65 because they think it's "normal retirement age" without realizing they're essentially taking a 13% pay cut for life. That's money you can never get back. Here's a simple exercise: Go to the SSA retirement estimator and look at your benefit at 65 vs 67 vs 70. Multiply the monthly difference by 12, then by your expected lifespan. For most people, the numbers are eye-opening. Also remember - you can start collecting Social Security and still work, but if you're under your FRA and earn over $21,240 (2023 limit), they'll reduce your benefits $1 for every $2 you earn over that threshold. Take your time with this decision - it's one of the most important financial choices you'll make!

I'm so grateful I found this discussion before making what could have been a costly mistake! Like many others here, I was planning to start Social Security at 65 thinking that was the "normal" retirement age, but clearly I had outdated information. The advice from the SSA professionals and financial planner has been invaluable. I now understand that for a June 28th birthday, you'd select July as your start month, but more importantly, that taking benefits at 65 instead of waiting until FRA of 67 means a permanent 13% reduction - that's huge money over a lifetime! I had no idea that Medicare and Social Security were separate programs. Being able to enroll in Medicare at 65 while delaying Social Security until 67 or even 70 seems like the smart financial move for most people who can afford to wait. I'm definitely going to use that SSA retirement estimator tool that everyone keeps mentioning to see the actual dollar impact before making any decisions. It sounds like taking time to really understand these numbers could mean the difference between financial comfort and struggling in retirement. Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise and personal experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone approaching 65!

I'm approaching 65 myself and this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! Like so many others here, I was operating under the assumption that 65 was still the standard retirement age and was planning to start Social Security benefits right away. The clarity everyone has provided about selecting July (the month after your June 28th birthday) makes perfect sense now - you need to be 65 for the entire month to be eligible for that month's benefits. But the real eye-opener has been learning about the permanent 13% reduction for taking benefits before Full Retirement Age of 67. That's a substantial amount of money to give up for life! The advice about separating Medicare enrollment (which should happen at 65) from Social Security timing is particularly helpful since it gives us more flexibility in our planning. I had never heard of the SSA retirement estimator tool that everyone keeps mentioning, but I'm definitely going to use it to see the actual dollar impact before making any decisions. The stories from people who took benefits early and regretted it, versus those who waited and benefited financially, are really compelling. Thank you to all the SSA professionals, financial planners, and people who've been through this process for sharing your expertise. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone approaching retirement - it's filled with exactly the kind of practical, real-world advice that's hard to find elsewhere!